Protection Duty
by The means of procrastinating
Summary: When a threat is made against an American teen spy Alex is called upon to protect her but given as she is unaware of this. Throw in a SEAL brother who's unit is having an exchange with K unit what havoc will ensue? A slightly altered storyline, Ian only got him when he was 9 and died when he was 11, also the CIA are not the good guys.
1. Alex Rider

**OK. Another that's been in my documents for a while. ENJOY!**

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"How do we get down there?" Eagle groaned as he eyed the lake at the bottom of the waterfall, they all knew there was an item in there they had to retrieve.

"Whatever the method, do it quickly I'm freezing here." Fox complained performing star jumps trying to warm himself up,

"Shouldn't have had a snowball fight then." Cub laughed, Ben grabbed his around the waist and held him over the edge of the drop.

"Are you going to shove snow down the back of my coat again?" He threatened,

"No." Alex quickly agreed eyeing the water at the bottom, there were no rock in sight and these pools were renowned for being deep. Ben set Alex back on the solid ground and the four adults looked over the edge debating.

"CUB!" They could only watch in horror as the young spy launched himself off the edge of the rocks and dove down into the water. When he resurfaced he had a red tube in his hands, he swam to the edge of the lake and clambered up the rock face like a monkey.

"Jesus Cub, don't do that to us!" Wolf cuffed him around the head then quickly wrapped him in the foil Cub had laid out earlier, quickly Snake pulled off his soaked thermal top and ran a towel over the shivering form, the cold making his scars stand out more than usual, Eagle pulled the thermal top over his head then the second base layer, Ben wrapped the fleece around him, zipped it up and Wolf waited with the secondary fleece. Snake pulled his hats over his head and Eagle slipped his coat on and zipped it up. Lastly Fox pulled one glove on as Wolf did the other. Eagle pulled off Alex's thermal trousers and dried his legs wrapping the foil around his bottom half.

"Sorry kid, not going any further." The medic grinned.

"Th- that- that's f- f- fine." The teen stuttered slowly warming up, Ben wrapped his arms around him creating friction in an attempt to speed up the warming process. Less than a minute later Cub was having his boots done up by Eagle and Snake, his fingers too numb to do them himself.

"Find a place to camp then read this. Lets get a fire going and then you are not moving Cub." Wolf growled, his over protectiveness coming through as annoyance. They traipsed down the snow covered mountain until they reached a flat area of ground, ten minutes later there was a strong fire blazing and Cub had been situated in front of it under threat of a full medical if he so much as moved a muscle.

"Drink." Snake pushed a cup of hot chocolate into numb hands, Alex nodded his thanks still cold. Ben sat one side of his with Wolf on the other, closer than normal, trying to keep him warm, Eagle simply threw his sleeping bag over him.

"Eagle your turn to cook." Snake announced.

"Oh dear lord." Alex groaned rolling his eyes as the joker in the group rubbed his hands together gleefully. They all watched in horror as Eagle started pulling out pots and food sachets,

"Stop!" Alex exclaimed sliding off the log he had been sitting on and shoving Eagle out the way. Then he attempted to resurrect the food that Eagle had slaughtered.

"Yay. Cub food!" Eagle bounced up holding his mess tin in expectation.

"You get served last, bird brain." Alex teased as the older man pouted and started whining.

"The more you whine the less you get." Wolf growled. Unsurprisingly Eagle shut up.

"What's in the tube?" Alex asked Wolf realising the rest had forgotten about the reason they were in the middle of no where. Ben pulled the tube from his leaders pocket and unscrewed the top.

"Map. Again. And..." Ben's eyes lit up. "Chocolate." He was forced onto his back in the rush of his team mates trying to reach the chocolate. In desperation the older spy threw it to their 'chef' who slipped it inside his coat.

"Mains first people. Dinners up!" He called knowing that would make them all move. Within minutes they were all looking at Cub who was taking his time eating his food knowing that it would aggravate them.

"Snake." Wolf growled,

"I'm with you." Alex only had a seconds warning before he was grabbed around the waist and searched thoroughly for the chocolate. They all leapt back when Alex gave a cry of pain. Alex lay on the ground almost as white as the ground beneath him grasping at his side where they all knew, and suddenly remembered, he had been shot about four weeks ago, add that to them forcefully patting him down on broken ribs then he would have been in pain.

"Shit! Sorry!" Eagle blurted as Snake quickly unzipped Cub's multiple layer of warm clothing then tugged the two base layers out from his trousers and checked the bandaging on his gun shot wound.

"It's fine. Let me just check your ribs." Snake pulled the top up further fighting the anger he always felt when he saw Alex's scars.

"Have to say kiddo, I am a little jealous of your muscles at 17." Eagle muttered frowning.

"I'd take being scrawny and not looking like a drawing board for a knife." Alex replied through gritted teeth as Snake prodded his ribs experimentally.

"You're still shivering slightly. Why didn't you say something?" Snake scolded wrapping him up again. "I think we should all go to bed." He helped Alex up and hurried him towards the tent, Alex crouched inside the marginally larger than average four man tent that managed to house all five of them, only when it was cold. He rolled out his sleeping bag and went to lie on the outside of the tent but was stopped by Eagle launching himself onto one of them and Wolf was already sitting on the other.

"You are in the middle Cub. Deal with it." The unit's leader dictated, Alex sighed and nodded bundling his sleeping bag in the corner so that they could play a quick game of cards before sleeping, he sat slowly, wincing as he went. Snake raised an eyebrow pointedly.

"I'm fine." Alex automatically replied.

"And again?" The red haired medic asked sitting opposite him.

"I'll live." Alex tried.

"Full medical when we return to camp. Cub, no excuses." Was the only comment made.

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"Last task then we're at the base." Wolf announced grinning. "Six bulls eye each. Cub you first." Alex pulled his rifle out his pack and built it, then he stood, aimed and fired at his target six times.

"No point checking really is there." Ben commented, his shooting had been a cause of worry for them when he turned up to stay over two years ago, but they had taken it under the heading 'Classified' and were patient. After a year of their constant worry, supervision and trust testing Alex told them everything. From his families death to the Turners two days before he arrived here for good. Then they had discovered the nightmares, but they had nothing on the panic attacks. Three weeks after he had arrived he had been tackled by Eagle for a teasing comment which had triggered a memory of one of his spans in captivity and resultantly a full blown panic attack. No one knew about them, but Alex was easily the most scared out of all of them. Now they panic attacks were rare, if ever and the nightmares were only after some missions.

"Cub." Wolf's voice pulled Alex from his day dreaming. He saw Snake getting slowly more frustrated with his shooting.

"Snake." Alex said calmly, he shot a glance over his shoulder and the the other men vanished into the trees, 'checking the route'. "Breathe." He told the worked up medic, a few minutes later Snake had his six bulls eyes.

"How _do_ you do that?" Eagle sighed shaking his head in amazement, Cub was the only one who could calm Snake, normally because Snake was the one calming all of them.

"Don't know. Done it to myself too much." Alex shrugged slipping on his backpack. "Come on." He pulled his collar up around his neck and gestured that Wolf lead the way. Three hours later they reach a bunk house and, after dumping their bags and pulling off layer after layer of clothes, hurried to the showers. The water wasn't hot, but compared to the Russian air, it was positively tropical.

"Cub." Snake called him over before the blonde could pull on a top. Alex traipsed over dragging his feet. Ben chuckled at his antics rolling his eyes.

"It's healing fine. The breaks are also healing but the bruising around them has yet to leave, including the bruise you got while being a moron." Snake brushed his fingers over the bruise covering the whole side of his body. The incident Snake was referring to was when a few days ago Alex had leaned over the edge of a crevasse to see if there was a way down, a gust of wind had knocked him off balance and that coupled with a concussion from him latest mission caused him to fall. Wolf had grabbed his forearm, resulting in a dubious bruise, but gravity and momentum meant that Alex slammed into the side of the crevasse resulting in more cracked ribs, and the ones that were broken from being shot while wearing a bullet proof vest, but mostly healed, snapped again.

"You'll do. When are we being picked up?" Snake called.

"Three hours. Who's up for a card game?"

Three hours later Sargent Lucas was shocked to hear laughter from the bunkhouse opposed to the usual snores. He sighed,

"Nothing breaks that bloody unit." He muttered before entering.

"Sir!" All five jumped to attention, Cub letting out a small gasp of pain as he did so.

"At ease." He stated, they all relaxed. Now he looked at them he could see the exhaustion and cold in their stances and expressions, and relief at finally getting out of here. "In the helicopter, we're dropping those two off in the states first." He nodded at Ben and Alex who sighed silently.

"Yes sir. Where in the states sir?" Ben asked as they settled into the copter.

"Montana, that's all I know. Buckle up!" Defying all laws of physics they took off leaving the cold eastern Russian Landscape behind.

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**Please review!**


	2. Adenine Gideon

**Just a short one to introduce the second character! ENJOY!  
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"Greene! Shut the fuck up!" Adenine Gideon hissed to her Senior agent Alistair Greene. "I know what to do, now shut up before we get shot!" The pair were crouched behind a wall of crates in the industrial estate behind the local superstore. Twenty men in black fanned out.

"Ow!" Alistair exclaimed sticking his finger in his mouth. Adi turned to him eyes wide in anger, her jaw clenched.

"Greene. You had better run." She kicked him t get him moving, as they ran crouched towards the exit, there was a shout and shots fire, Adi felt something powerful hit her back, she stumbled and the world went black.

"Nini!" Jack gasped seeing his sister go down. Greene kept running and made it out the gate only getting a small graze on his leg. Jack ran, keeping low to the ground, to his sister his special training kicking in. he crouched by her side quickly joined by his team medic, M, who did a quick check,

"Hit the vest." He replied in a strong Irish accent. Jack relaxed and gathered his sister up into his arms.

"Lets go." His leader pushed them towards the gate, they sprinted and made it to the car.

"W, do it." S the leader ordered, seconds later the warehouse which was being used as a base went up in flames.

"Nini." Jack tried to coax his sister back into consciousness, M crouched and felt the back of her head.

"Concussion. She'll be out for a while. Give her time." He told his team mate.

"So the unstoppable Nini is unconscious." W teased.

"Call me that again and I shall introduce my foot to the area between your legs." Adenine growled choosing that moment to wake up.

"But C calls you Nini!" W whined.

"C or Jackie, as I call him, has special older brother privileges. We have been through his before Christopher." Adi sighed trying to sit up, her brother assisting. "Aren't I a little old to be sitting on your lap?" She asked her brother.

"You're never too old. You're only 17 anyway. As your older, wiser, 25 year old brother I say no. And my word is law." Jack replied grinning.

"Older, yes, wiser.. debatable. Where's the moron Greene?" She asked rubbing her head, enjoying the feel of her brothers arms around her, no matter how old she was.

"In the other car. Don't worry, when he returns to camp for top up training we'll make his lives a misery." S promised with a wicked grin. "No one leaves our Adi behind." He reached a hand out to ruffle her hair, then retracted it on second thoughts.

"Good idea." Jack chuckled laughing at his sisters glare.

"Why does the youngest in the family always have the worst glare?" M chuckled to himself.

"I have four older brothers. I know how to glare." Adi grinned.

"Three brothers, one sister." Jack corrected.

"Come on Jackie, does Charlie _really_ count as a girl? Sure she is the doting older sister but girly? No." Adi laughed.

"Nini, you're not exactly girly either." Jack laughed.

"And that's a bad thing?" At her tone Jack decided it was a good idea to back track rapidly to save himself.

"No, it's gr- what do you _want_ me to say?" He settled on.

"That you like her as she is." W put in.

"That she is perfect whether girly or boyish." M agreed.

"That whether she chooses to be girly or boyish you will always stand by her and her choices." S finished. Jack nodded,

"What they all just said." He grinned. "Take us home W!"

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	3. Arrogant British little spy boys

**Wow, fast update, yet not reviews... Hint hint.**

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"Ma'am?" Ben and Alex lowered themselves into huge seats on the private jet waiting for them. Silently he handed over two manilla folders, both men sat back and started to read.

Six months ago June Gideon had been tortured and killed by Zeke, the terrorist organisation that was trying its hardest to replace SCORPIA, based on recent intel gained from a warehouse search they discovered that the group were after 17 year old Adenine Gideon her cousin. Alex was to go in and guard the teen, without her knowledge, under the pretence of searching for another Zeke base, as Ben was going to do.

"So I help in Langley with finding Zeke and Al is an incognito body guard." Ben summarised.

"Yes, but Miss Gideon cannot know. Her parents have requested this, and have space to house Alex while he is needed but you will be staying elsewhere Ben, with Adenine's brother, Harry. Jack lives with his SEAL unit, Charlie is staying with Harry while the threat is on her sister and William is in France at the moment, but will be returning back to stay with Harry as well. They will spend most their time at their parents, for safety." Jones confirmed then stood to speak with the captain. Ben turned to Alex who was ashen.

"Alex." Ben glanced across the plane and noted they were alone. He wrapped his arms around the blondes shaking frame tightly worried for his mental state.

"Why?" Alex breathed. "Why them?"

"It's fine," Ben was stopped by an announcement from the captain announcing their arrival in Virginia.

Two hours later they were sitting in a CIA provided car heading to the small town the Gideon's lived in nearly an hour away. When they stopped for dinner Ben quickly pulled his phone out, as he watched Alex's form disappear into the bathrooms he dialled Snake's number,

"Hey Ben, what's up?" Snake's voice carried over the phone.

"It's Alex and this mission." He said quietly. "He's guarding a teen, his age, who's entire family is in some intelligence agency of some sort, her parents, her three brothers and sister, her aunts and uncles, the works."

"Ah. So what he would have had had his parents not left England." Snake realised the issue immediately.

"Pretty much. I'm worried what will happen if they bring the wrong subjects up." Ben admitted.

"Cub can take care of himself Ben, you know that, if he is struggling there are people he knows are there for him, be it he has no family. He knows he can call us and Yassen will be more than happy to talk to him no matter how much we dislike their relationship." The medic sighed, Ben could see him running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Look, I need to go, sorry Sarge is yelling. I'm sure he'll be fine and if it makes you feel any better I will call him in a few days, once he's had time to adjust." Ben could hear the bellows on the other side and that Snake was running.

"Thanks. It does, go. Don't want mess duty again." Ben chuckled,

"Too right. See you around Fox. Don't be a stranger." Snake hung up. Ben ran a hand through his hair and headed towards the food counter.

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The woman was tall and beautiful with long blonde hair that was put up to keep out the way, she had a welcoming face that was always smiling. When she shook Alex's hand he could tell she could hold her own perfectly fine on her own. She was Grace Gideon.

The man was taller and muscular, his short brown hair was cropped in a way similar to his son, army style. He had a gruff gentleness and obviously loved his family with all his heart. He was Harold Gideon.

The two sons that were there were also tall, both blonde like their mother, but built like their father, the daughter was a scary lookalike of her mother, but with dark hair. Their children, Jack, Harry and Charlie Gideon.

All of them looked happy to see the British spies. All barr one.

The youngest girl was tall and slender like her mother but had shockingly red hair, like Jack, Alex thought before he stopped himself. But a permanent scowl on her face. She shot one last glare at the newcomers and stormed out the room, Charlie sighed and followed her. Alex bit back a smirk at her antics.

"Sorry, she's just grumpy because she couldn't go to Florida with her friend." Grace apologised. "Would you like a drink, you must be exhausted, you look it."

"That would lovely ma'am." Ben smiled as they moved into the kitchen,

"Grace is fine honey, no ma'am here." She laughed lightly,

"So, you been to the states before?" Jack asked sitting back and putting his feet up on the table.

"Feet." Grace hit them as she put out a plate of biscuits.

"Coffee?" She asked the room.

"YES!" Three voices exclaimed,

"Me too mum." Charlie entered the room rolling her eyes.

"You two?" Grace asked the Brits.

"You'll laugh, but do you have any tea?" Alex asked smirking. He was right, laughter ran around the room.

"Sure thing sweetie. Earl Grey, or these I can't remember." She handed out six new boxes of tea bags.

"Told you they'd drink tea." Adi had reappeared smirking to herself.

"What are they Al?" Ben asked helping Grace with the mugs.

"Earl Grey, Assam, Breakfast, Builders, Chai or Green." Alex read out the names, opening the box of Chai and Breakfast.

"You mix them?" Charlie sounded incredulous.

"Nope. Wait." Alex pointed at Ben,

"Breakfast." At Ben's statement Alex waved a tea bag.

"Damn you're good." Jack laughed.

"Do any of you like those teas? We have never drunk it so take what you like. Split them between the two houses if you want." Harold told them, Alex grinned at threw the box of Earl Grey at Ben.

"All yours." He made a face.

"What's not to like?" Ben sighed.

"Bergamot." Alex shot back.

"You're strange, you like Chai." Ben pointed out.

"What's not to like? It's like Christmas in a mug!" Alex exclaimed. "Besides, Snakes the strange one." Ben nodded thoughtfully.

"Green tea." He made a face. "Sacrilege."

"Are you seriously having an argument about _tea_?" Jack had a slow smile growing.

"You should see Wolf and Snake when they get going." Ben chuckled.

"Strange names." Harold chuckled.

"SAS." Ben replied passing the coffee's around.

"Sacrilege." Jack breathed watching his brother pour milk into his coffee.

"You put _sugar_ in yours!" Harry exclaimed.

"Charlie puts both." They both spun on their sister.

"Dad put _cream_." Charlie shot back.

"Welcome to the Gideon house hold." Adi whispered into Alex's ear, he looked on smiling sadly.

"You know what? I love it." He whispered back.

"So, have you been to the states before?" Harold repeated the question that had never been answered.

"Yeah, lived here briefly." Alex nodded, "The odd holiday. Nothing much really."

"Just holidays." Ben put in when they looked at him.

"Where did you live?" Grace asked.

"San Francisco." Alex replied with a small smile. Ben sat they praying they wouldn't ask any more questions, noting Ben's worried and slightly alarmed expression Harold tactfully changed the subject.

"Ever been to France? William's there at the moment." He asked, Ben wanted to hit his head repeatedly against the wall. First they were paired with a spy family, then they talked about San Francisco and now France. The life Alex could have had.

"Lived there as well. Almost moved there permanently once, but," Alex shrugged.

_My family was blown up._ Ben substituted mentally.

"Is there anywhere you _haven't_ lived?" Jack asked amused. Alex seemed to think about it.

"In Europe... I haven't lived in most of Eastern Europe but the main one is Russia I have _been_ to every country though." Alex shrugged as though this was normal. To him it was.

"You Ben?" Jack asked, "Lived anywhere else?"

"Nope, just Liverpool and London." Ben sighed, Alex shot him a grin.

"And Brecon." He grinned.

"That doesn't count." Ben sighed.

"Brecon Beacons? Wales?" Jack asked sitting straighter.

"Yeah, why?" Ben replied slowly.

"We're doing an 'exchange' of sorts with a unit there." Jack grinned. "Don't know which yet but you can meet them when they arrive. If we're allowed off base. My unit has been paired with them. They say it's because we're the best unit not on tour, but we say it's a punishment. And the fact that we are the only complete unit not on leave or on tour. But it does mean that we get to go out to Brecon with them when they return, a switch as it was."

"You're going to hell." Alex laughed.

"Most special forces training camps aren't sunshine and daisies." Jack grinned.

"No, it's called hell." Ben reiterated. "It's hell with rain, mud, rain, mud, mud, a little more mud and a bit more rain."

"I thought you just came off a training stint, why aren't you covered in mud." Harry asked, they had talked on the drive over.

"That training wasn't in Wales." Ben smirked.

"Somewhere cold, otherwise you wouldn't be in tops and jeans, whereas we are all here in jumpers." Charlie put in.

"Yeah, you could say it was cold." Ben laughed.

"Where was it?" Jack asked curious,

"Eastern Russia." Ben chuckled as Jack paled,

"They won't do that to us will they?" He gulped.

"Nice strong man aren't you. Scared of a bit of cold." Adi laughed.

"It was cold and that was under two base layers, two fleeces, an Arctic coat, three pairs of gloves, two hats, three pairs of trousers, thermal heated socks and three neck warmers." Ben informed them.

"That's only because your snow guard wasn't up." Alex tutted.

"You shoved snow down the back of my coat!" Ben complained.

"Still not over that are we?" Alex grinned,

"Bed time, all of you!" Grace had just seen the time.

"See you soon Al." Ben waved and left the house with the two brothers and sister leaving only the parents and two teens behind.

"Come on, grab your gear and I'll show you your room." Adi stated, they headed upstairs, "Parents." She pointed to the first door on the left, "Bathroom, Jack's, Harry's, Williams old rooms." She pointed to four more doors, then headed up another flight of stairs, "Me and Charlie's old rooms. Bathroom's broken in there." They went up to the fourth floor. "You. Shared bathroom." She pointed to two doors. "Make yourself at home."

"Thanks, what-" Alex broke off. Adi was gone. "This is going well." Alex muttered before walking into his room and gaping at the double bed, a slow grin spread and he dumped his belongings on the bed, he quickly grabbed his pyjama trousers and underwear then threw the suitcases on the floor. He changed and in seconds was asleep.

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"Come on sweetie." Grace woke her daughter. "School in half an hour." Adi's eyes flew open and she sprinted upstairs to the bathroom throwing the door open then stopping dead. In her hurry she had forgotten they had another person in the house and that the door didn't lock. Before her brain could process how nice Alex looked shirtless he had vanished into his bedroom. She blinked, shook herself and walked into his bedroom meaning to apologise, only to find he was still shirtless, this time with jeans on.

"Huh." She looked him up and down appreciatively, he quickly pulled on a t shirt and slipped past her.

"Bathroom's free." He called laughter in his tone.

"Wait." Adi breathed she spun around. "Where did your scars come from?" Her words met air as Alex was already gone. "And when and how the fuck did you get shot. In the heart." She muttered slipping into the shower.

She stormed into the kitchen later fully meaning to question Alex only to find that he was gone. Fuming she ate her breakfast before storming towards Alex who had just appeared at the bottom of the stairs,

"Come on, there is a Gaby at the door, aparently you are friends. And she knows who I am." Alex grabbed her wrist and pulled her out the house,

"Who put you in a bad mood?" Gaby her friend asked amused.

"She overslept." Grace called as she headed to the car. "Have fun at schools girls. And you Alex." She added as an afterthought.

"So looking forward to life an an exchange student? Adi has told me all about how you were coming. Apparently you're English but she never said how cute you were. I almost fainted when you opened the door just now." Gaby giggled as Alex blushed, then without waiting for Alex to respond her questions went on. Twenty minutes later as they reached the school Adi looked over her shoulder at Alex and grimaced.

"Sorry." She whispered then they were inside the building. "This way, I'll take him to the principal and reception. See you later Gabs." They parted. "You have a lot of explaining to do Alex." She growled.

"Do I? About what?" He managed to time it perfectly so they just reached the reception as Adi was about to reply.

"Arsehole." She muttered before smiling at the receptionist. "Hi miss Dell. This is Alexander Rider, he is the exchange student from England."

"Ah, Mr Rider this way. Miss Gideon stay there." The receptionist led him to an office and knocked. There was a quiet enter and Alex slipped inside.

He emerged an hour later ears ringing from the introductions and stories about the teachers times in England.

"Hey, that bad huh." Adi was still waiting grimacing as she noted Alex's expression, her previous anger having left her during the course of the day.

"Yeah. Does he ever shut up?" He asked pulling out his timetable. Adi snatched it from him and glanced at the lessons.

"Almost the same as me." Adi grinned and led him to the next lesson, French. She noticed the glances Alex kept shooting around, most wouldn't but she hadn't been trained for three years for nothing. "Overwhelming?" She guessed.

"More... reminiscent." Alex admitted. Adi laughed,

"Good or bad?" Alex thought back to the family he had had for three weeks with the Pleasures.

"Bad." He frowned, Adi sensed a bad area so tactfully changed it. She had done this a lot since he had arrived a week ago.

"So, you speak French?" She asked.

"Yes." He seemed to be smirking at something.

"Well?" She tried to understand.

"You'll find out." He replied cryptically.

Ten minutes later she did. After the class had been set their work Madame Pierre had approached Alex and thus started an hour long conversation in fluent French, one that had most of the classes jaws dropping. At the end of the lesson Alex turned to Adi.

"So? Answer your question?" Adi had stalked off muttering about arrogant English boys.

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**If it is so bad it doesn't deserve reviews please tell me and I shall stop.**


	4. Adi's teenage strop

**Thanks so much the the few reviews I received! **

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"I don't know, you tell me!" Adi exclaimed slamming her book shut and huffing grumpily.

"You want the chemistry homework to answer itself?" Alex asked smirking, he was on the other side of the table.

"Piss off Alex. Like you know better, you don't even _take _chemistry." Adi snapped storming into the kitchen. Alex picked up her homework and examined the question, he picked up a pen and scribbled an answer. When Adi stormed back into the room with the answers borrowed off the internet she gaped as she saw Alex had reached the correct answer. Her jaw dropped as she looked at him, Alex rolled his eyes patiently.

"Come on Adi, the coin is 3.47g and reacted with 20.5 cm³ of sodium thiospulphate at at concentration of 0.2. You want the moles of the sodium thiospulphate so volume times concentration which is 0.0041. Times that by the number of moles of copper 2 plus in 250 cm³, 10, is 0.041. The mass of coper in the coin is 0.42 times the Mr of copper equals 2.6035. Divide that mass by the total mass of the coin then times by 100 you get your percentage, 75%." Alex sat back and handed her the scribbled on sheet of paper, she was still looking at him shocked.

"Just because I don't Chemistry doesn't mean I can't do it. It's easy." He shrugged then returned to his Russian book.

"What happened?" Charlie asked walking into the house and seeing a speechless Adi and an indifferent Alex.

"He- My- Chem- Ugh!" Adi slammed her books shut again and thrust the piece of paper into her sisters hands. "Genius, that's what."

"So, am I the first here?" She asked, they were having a meeting to discuss how everything was progressing. Barr the part Alex was playing.

"Yeah, mum and dad are still at work, gee what a surprise." Adi slumped onto the sofa,

"They're never home." Charlie agreed.

"I'm used to it." Alex commented before realising the position that put himself in, thankfully he was saved by his phone ringing. He glanced at the caller and his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.

"Snake?" Alex phrased it almost as a question. There was a slight pause in which time Harry, Harold and Grace entered the room, they had all left Langley together. "What the hell are you doing up?" He added glancing at a clock. A wicked grin graced Alex's face at the answer. "Ah, midnight swims in the lovely warm lake, I miss it so much."

"I seem to recall one time it didn't take you long to get to the deep section." Ben commented.

"I seem to recall one time being thrown in by four fully grown SAS men." Alex shot back, laughter on the on the other end was heard by all in the room. "Ah, sorry, three and a half SAS men." He flashed a grin at Ben who pouted slightly. "Why are you calling?" Alex asked suddenly. There was silence both ends, then comprehension dawned and Alex suddenly hung up and raised an eyebrow at Ben who smiled sheepishly. Then his phone rang.

"Eagle get off the phone." Ben ran a hand through his hair exasperated. "Yes Cub did hang up on you." His tone turned calming. Jack and the rest of his SEAL unit appeared in the house and sprawled on the sofas, the three newbies giving Ben and Alex once overs.

"Heads up Al." Ben threw the phone and he answered it,

"What?" Amusement grew on his face now and his eyes flicked the the recently arrived unit. "Really, that's _very_ interesting." He grinned as the rest of the room looked on apprehensively. "Who is the fourth?" The response obviously didn't impress Alex because he promptly threw the phone back to Ben.

"Why do you need a fourth? And who is it?" Now Ben laughed and his eyes flew to the SEAL unit, then his smile died. "_Jackal_. Jesus I thought Sarge was sensible enough to at least pair you with someone who you won't kill. I need to go, you need to sleep. There are some marine creatures I need to talk to." Ben hung up and turned to the room. "Sorry."

"Marine creatures?" One of the SEAL's was repeating to himself seemingly confused.

"Us you moron." Jack hit him over the head.

"But-" He was cut off.

"SEAL." Charlie exclaimed.

"Oh." He grinned. "Clever."

"I try." Ben grinned. "One question, who are you?"

"W, also known as Chris." W replied,

"S. I'm the leader, Luke." S smiled slightly

"You know me a Jack, but I'm C." Jack smiled at Ben.

"And I'm M, Aidan, who are you?"

"Ben, and that's Alex. I assume you are the weapons expert, tactician, comms and the medic." Ben went in order.

"Yeah, how'd you know that?" S demanded,

"Magic." Alex teased, Adi threw a pillow at his head.

"Really!" W exclaimed.

"Chris! NO!" The entire unit exclaimed.

"He's worse than Neil." Ben sighed rolling his eyes.

"I didn't think that was possible." Alex agreed.

"And back to the reason behind this meeting, hows everything going?" Grace brought them all back to the start.

"Fine." They all replied in unison.

"May have to elaborate people." Grace smiled indulgently. "Alex? Settling in OK?" Alex read the deeper meaning, don't say anything until Adi is gone.

"Yeah, different, but good." He nodded.

"Adi?"

"Aside from having a bloody genius in most my classes I'm fine." Adi muttered.

"Ah, but I bet you put them to shame in languages." Jack grinned, having tutored his sister the finer points of conversational French, German, Italian and Swahili he knew she was good.

"Nope. Because he is a bloody foreigner!" This time a book was thrown at Alex's head, he deflected it and it landed on Chris' lap.

"What is this?" He sounded disgusted.

"It's a book." Charlie replied slowly.

"No shit. What language is that?" He passed it to Jack who frowned,

"Russian I think." Jack threw it to Ben when asked to and the spy laughed.

"Yes its Russian." He confirmed.

"Who's is it?" Chris asked confused. "No one here speaks Russian well enough to read it, unless Ben?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Slowly and it gives me a headache, but not for leisure, no. That's Alex's." He threw the book to Alex who caught it easily.

"You speak Russian." Grace was shocked.

"Yes." Alex replied slowly.

"Well?" Harold asked.

"I can pass." At that Ben smirked, but no one saw, they were all focussed on Alex in shock.

"What else can you speak?" Jack asked excitedly.

"German, French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, English, hell he understands _Shakespeare_!" Adi threw her hands up in exasperation. "And can do graduate level Chemistry, writes perfect essays in History, had an hour long conversation with Madame Pierre in which _I _got lost. Then he is kept behind by the history teacher and congratulated on his understanding of politics, both historical and current. He is rewarded on his knowledge of Geography by sir, who smiled at him. _Smiled._ He never smiles! Then I sat next to him in maths and he had finished all the work in half the time it took everyone else, then in Physics, he understands it perfectly and had a long discussion with the teacher about the finer points of quantum physics. Then even though he doesn't take it he completed my Chemistry, was adored by the biology teacher and lets not even get _started_ on him in English, RE, PE, IT and psychology." Adi threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Bad week?" Charlie asked smirking. The recently returned Russian book now found its way to her head. Charlie responded by throwing a pillow back.

Half an hour later Grace, sighing, turned to her husband and simply asked.

"These are our children?"

* * *

"Al." Ben grasped his arm and led him out the room, Adi watched this curiously and decided to follow them. She followed them and found herself in a back alley not far from the house.

"I don't like lying to her." Alex was saying, Adi stiffened, they were talking about her.

"I know, you have made that clear from the start. But neither do you like working for MI6. She can't know, she'll be in danger if she does."

"I know the risks Fox. Don't treat me like a child." Alex sounded exhausted.

"Al. How are you coping, as you. Nothing to do with the mission. Just you as Alex this can't be easy for you." Adi frowned, _what _couldn't be easy for him? He was the most stubborn, confident, positive, grounded, determined person she knew.

"It's.." Alex sounded, for the first time since she had known him, uncertain in himself. Shaking herself and confused she crept away, not wanting to intrude on a personal conversation.

Half an hour later she found herself knocking on his door,

"Come on in." She slipped in smirking slightly at the slight surprise on his face. "Hey."

"Can I talk to you?" She wrung her hands worried.

"Sure, have a seat." They sat on opposite ends of the bed in silence.

"So...?" Alex prompted.

"You have been living in this house for a week and a half and know almost nothing about you, that's all." Adi shrugged trying to hide her tension, from the smirk Alex gave her, she doubted it worked.

"Well, my name is-" She cut him off.

"No little facts about ourselves, nothing too deep just like friends would. If you don't want to answer you don't have to."

"Like friends would." Alex repeated seemingly still unsure.

"Yes, so what is your favourite colour?" Adi picked a random question.

"Oh no, that's too deep, you've gone too far Miss Gideon." Alex teased, Adi threw a pillow at him in annoyance, smiling despite herself.

"Things like hobbies, likes and dislikes, pet hates, abilities, favourite colour. Things like that." Adi listed a few topics.

"Missions?" Alex asked, voice hard.

"Only if you are willing."

"Well, my favourite colour is blue. What is your favourite food?" Alex replied without responding to the comment. And so began a routine, sometime they did their homework, sometimes they just talked, this had led to merciless teasing from siblings and friends, but still they didn't stop it or make comments about the facts that weren't mentioned. They never once touched on spying, or how they got into the business, Alex skirted around his family without dropping any hints with an ease that alarmed and worried Adi, when she asked what his worst injury was he managed to turn it around on her and ask a question and it was only later that she realised he hadn't actually answered hers.

* * *

"Come on. I need waffles." Adi groaned as school let out.

"And your parents?" Alex was worried, yesterday there had been a hack trying to get at Adi's files and the CIA were worried about her safety.

"They can deal. Besides, not as though some contract killer is out to get me." She joked, Alex fought a wince.

"Fine, where are we going?" Alex asked pulling out his phone and speed dialling Ben who answered in seconds, Alex hung up and Ben, understanding what Alex was doing, rang back. Alex glanced at the caller ID and answered.

"Hey Ben, no, we're not at home, nor heading that way." Alex raised an eyebrow at Adi who rolled her eyes.

"Come on, it's just waffles!" She exclaimed,

"Yeah we're going for waffles in the local café, 'Hayley's lot'." Alex told him faking an exaggeratedly exasperated tone. "Thanks, see you later." Alex hung up.

"What'd he want?" Adi asked pulling him into the café and ordering for him

"To know where we had vanished off the edge of the planet to." Alex flashed her a grin,

"Very funny. Here. Eat and shut up." She pushed a plate towards him. "So, back to the questions. Who do you think is the cutest boy in school?"

"Stupid question, me of course." She kicked him under the table.

"Seriously."

"OK." Alex frowned as he thought about it. "Simon Patel." He named the largest, smelliest most dislikeable boy in the year.

"For my sanity I really hope that you are lying." Adi breathed.

"Yes. I am." Alex laughed. "Who do you think?" At this Adi turned bright red.

"So, how do you know Ben? What is that relationship?" She ignored the question.

"No, who do you think? Will Turner?" Alex wouldn't have minded the fielding of question, had it been better done, had she not blushed, and had the question not been about Alex's relationship with Ben, or any other question he wanted to avoid.

"No!" Adi's blush deepened,

"I think you are secretly hiding a crush on Will, you can't possibly admit it and blush at any given point, that only leads to the question, what _are_ you thinking about?" Alex continued,

"No! I don't like Will that way! He's a good friend, granted, but not that way." The blush had only worsened.

"So who do you like that has the ability to make you go such a lovely shade of red?" Alex lounged back grinning widely.

"You're an _arse_ you know that!" Adi exclaimed hitting his around the head repeatedly.

"Now, now children. Your parents are angry enough at you for all of you." Adi almost jumped out of her skin, Alex just turned to smirk at the other Brit.

"Why?" Adi asked, Ben took her arm and led her out the café, relying on Alex to follow. They slid into a car and, despite no lack of questions asked, no answers were given.

"Adi! What were you thinking! You too Alex!" Grace grasped her daughter on the arm, dragging her into the house.

"We just went for waffles, Alex didn't want to go but I persuaded him. Then Ben phoned and because he knew where we were going Alex, after some more persuasion, agreed to come with me. Nothing happened!" Adi glanced at Alex for backup only to find that he wasn't in the room, neither was Ben.

"You are grounded young woman, no going out unless we know about it and have cleared it!" Harold ground out.

"WHY!" Adi exclaimed throwing her arms up in the air, "I bet _Alex_ isn't grounded, just because he is amazing at what he does! Why is he even here!"

"For your safety!" A new voice stated.

"JACK!" Grace and Harold exclaimed, furious.

"No! I talked to Alex, Charlie, Harry and even Will, they all agree this would all be a hell of a lot easier if she knew what was going on! She will fight your decisions because she doesn't think they're the right thing to do!" Jack explained.

"I'm _sorry_." Adi hissed, then froze. "That's what you were arguing about!" She spun around on Alex and Ben who had recently appeared. "You wanted to tell me, but Ben said you couldn't!" Adi hissed. Alex smirked,

"Told you so." He muttered to Ben,

"Piss off." Ben ruffled his hair, Alex batting his hand away, they all watched the interaction confused.

"What is your relationship?" Grace asked,

"Well, you see, despite the fact that Ben, despite all his wonderful traits, cannot accept this, we are in a deep meaningful relationship-" Alex started,

"Alexander." Ben groaned, "You're worse than Eagle on sugar."

"That is a whole new level of insult." Alex gasped, "You wound me!"

"What do your parents think of you doing this?" Charlie asked appearing through the door with an identical copy of Harold.

"William I assume." Ben ignored the question, feeling Alex stiffen beside him.

"Yes, call me Will." The man smiled at shook hands,

"Ben." Ben smiled,

"Alex." The teen shook his hand lightly then ran a hand through his hair.

"Excuse me!" Adi exclaimed, "You have all spent _weeks_ lying to me?" The red haired teen was not impressed.

"Adi," Alex started,

"No, don't even try." She stormed out the room.

"Well that went well." Alex sighed.

"Almost as well as when we tried to get answers out of you." Ben smirked, rubbing the back of his neck. "Be it less painful."

"Aww, did poor Foxy have to go to the infirmary to get his ego checked out." Alex mocked.

"You know, when we see Snake again, all this will fly straight back in your face as I can list so many injuries he still doesn't know about, and I do believe I shall have company when we try to get straight answers out of you." Ben flopped on the sofa grinned.

"Damn Benjamin, you play dirty."

"Learnt from the best." Ben grinned.

"Why thank you." Alex grinned back.

"All of that went straight over my head." Charlie sighed.

"Same, are they always like this?" Will asked confused.

"Yeah." Charlie flopped onto the sofa putting her feet on her brother.

"How was Paris? Madame Hoyt still in charge?" Alex asked the Interpol agent.

"Yeah, she is. She's fearsome – wait how do you know about her and Interpol?" Will asked sitting up straight.

"Long story, involved chocolate and babysitting her four children." Alex grinned amused,

"Any tips on how to get on her good side?" Will asked hopefully.

"Guylian." Alex replied without missing a beat.

"Seriously." Will asked incredulous.

"Yeah, everyone has a weakness." Alex shrugged.

"Really?" Grace snorted. "Byrne doesn't." Alex's face darkened,

"I take it you don't like Byrne." Harold assumed.

"You can say that again." Ben muttered.

"A good bourbon. His weakness." Alex put in,

"What about Fornell? Head of the FBI." Charlie asked.

"Fast car." Ben and Alex replied in unison.

"Get him tickets to throw Smithers Aston Martin around Silverstone and he's putty in your hands." Alex chuckled.

"I still can't believe he let you do that." Ben shook his head.

"What? Smithers or Fornell?" Alex queried,

"Either." Ben snorted.

"Neither actually, but I've been told I can be very persuasive." Alex grinned.

"Really, I never realised you were a silver tongued devil." Ben muttered. "Did you see the state of the Green Jackets after RTI with you?"

"What!" Jack exclaimed flying off his seat, they had all been watching the bantering amused at the interactions between the two.

"What what?" Ben asked.

"They put him through RTI!" Jack hissed.

"What's RTI?" Grace asked faintly.

"Resistance to interrogation." Jack breathed. The room froze and all looked at the two British.

"If it helps, they came of much worse than us. They refused to do it again and two out of the four joined the SAS and the other two transferred to their American counterparts, just to get away from they terror of Cub." Ben smirked.

"No, that doesn't help." Grace's face was white and her voice full of anger.

"We were the first unit to fully understand the meaning behind the name." Ben put in.

"What resisting the interrogation? Not giving answers?" Jack asked his confusion momentarily outweighing his anger.

"No, _resisting_ the interrogation." Alex smiled,

"What?" Harold asked, but comprehension was slowly dawning on Jack.

"You mean you're supposed to _resist_ the _interrogation?_" He was shocked.

"Yeah," Ben nodded.

"How?"

"Well, the first time through a drain, because the room was usually used for adults they didn't realise there was a drain cover that lifted and a child could fit through and escape. The second time was resisted as such. They nabbed Cub from the infirmary, where he was already on knock out drugs, being an SAS camp with large adults the drugs aren't designed for children, or well built teens for that matter. Cub, the genius he is, annoyed them so much they tried to drug him, but he was already on drugs so went into cardiac arrest." Ben shook his head at the memory.

"Those four refused to ever RTI anyone ever again." Ben chuckled, "The third time... well, lets just say you never want to hear Eagle sing and boy can Cub twist words." Ben shrugged. "No harm really done, not to us anyway." The room was silent.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Will joked.

"Can you really twist words that well?" Grace asked amazed.

"Oh yes." Harry flopped next to Alex. "You ask him a question he doesn't want to answer you avoids it and changes the topic so well you don't even realise he's done it until a few hours later. I once asked him how he got involved in this business, we talked about food, tea, how _I_ got involved, America, Germany, but nothing about him."

"Same, asked him his worst injury, then we talked about when I got shot in Holland. Talked about Holland, Austria, PT, guns and the weather. Nothing about him." Charlie glared at him. Harold slowly sat up.

"You did that to me as well!" He exclaimed. "I asked you about your family and we ended up talking about mine!" Alex smirked.

"Sorry?" He tried.

"Helps if you are actually sorry." Ben chuckled, "You learn how to stop it. Took nearly a year but now we can usually get an answer out of him."

"We?" Jack cocked an eyebrow.

"K unit." Alex and Ben smirked.

"Wait, we're doing an exchange with a K unit!" Jack exclaimed.

"Jesus, took him long enough." Alex muttered.

"Four of them, Wolf, Eagle... Lizard?" Jack shrugged.

"Snake and Jackass." Alex replied. "Sorry, slip of the tongue, Jack_al_." Ben snorted then laughed.

"Jackass suits him better."

"I take it you don't like him." Jack smirked, Alex rubbed his still healing bullet wound, a movement no one in the room missed.

"Not particularly." Ben replied for both of them.

"You lot staying for tea?" Grace asked suddenly.

"Sure. We need to discuss a development." Jack replied.

"I'll go get Adi, she's pissed enough as it is, doesn't need to be any worse." Alex offered,

"You're death wish." Charlie laughed. Alex chuckled and headed upstairs to Adi's room, he knocked.

"Go away." Adi snapped. He knocked again. "I said, go away." Alex paused, then knocked again. The door flew open to show a furious Adi. "Are you deaf?"

"Nope, just telling you tea is on the table and that we are discussing a recent development, thought, as you now know the whole story, you may like to be included though, if you don't want to be that's fine, I'm sure someone will bring a tray up for you while you have your little tantrum, that's fine too." Alex turned to go.

"You are a manipulative little thing you know?" Adi muttered.

"I try." They wandered downstairs.

"So, what's this development?" Adi asked after being brought up to speed quickly by the others.

"There is a new target along with you Adi." Charlie stated.

"Who?" Adi asked still slightly sulking.

"Alex Rider."

* * *

**Please review!**


	5. Alex and his hand shaped bruises

**I know, I know. For someone who said they weren't going to update, its an awfully funny way of doing it. I reached a mental blank when it came to learning more chemistry, so thought I'd do this instead.**

* * *

"Adi," Alex knocked quietly on her door.

"Go away Alex." She snapped causing Alex to sigh and lean his head against the door. She hadn't talked properly to anyone since she had found out they were lying to her three days ago.

"I'm off for a while. Thought you'd like to know, one less person to be angry at and avoid. See you around." Alex left before she could respond, he padded downstairs and slid into the car the CIA had provided and vanished down the road.

* * *

"Adi! Alex!" Grace called, "Another meeting!" There was silence. Then,

"Alex is gone." Adi sounded confused.

"Gone where?" Grace ignored the fact her daughter was now talking to her.

"I don't know, when you were out he knocked and said he was off for a while, I'd have one less person to avoid." Adi sighed. "I ran to open to door to get him to tell me more, but he was gone." Grace was already pulling out her phone.

"Harry, it's mum. Get over here now. Bring Daniels." There was a pause. "Alex has gone." Another pause, "Daniels, I don't know, he apparently knocked on Adi's door, said he was going and vanished." Grace threw the phone to her youngest.

"Ben?" The confused teen listened carefully. "No, he sounded exhausted, I assumed it was because I was still being a bitch." Her eyes widened, "How do you know him that well?!" She pulled the phone away from her ear confused as he hung up on her.

"I'll call Jack." Will murmured,

"He can't come, he's got the exchange arriving today." Charlie put in followed by Harry and Ben who looked worried. They all looked worried.

"Who's got him?" Harry demanded.

"I have a good idea. You phoned Jack?" Ben asked,

"No, I was about to. Why?" Will queried dialling.

"I need to talk to their exchange partners." Ben replied. The entire room frowned in confusion.

"Jack, hey are you with your exchange unit?" Will asked hurriedly.

"_Yeah, you remember I couldn't make it to the meeting tonight right?_" Jack checked.

"Ben wants to talk to your exchange unit." Will relayed, still confused, but complying.

"_Sure, why? You know what, never mind, those two make my head hurt."_

"That's the issue, we only have one of them." There was silence the other end.

"_Here's Wolf, the leader._" Jack threw the phone to Ben who caught it easily.

"Cub's gone." Ben stated simply. Then he pulled the phone away from his ear slightly to save it. "Who do you think James, who got him the last three times he set foot on American soil."

"_Did he go willingly?_" Snake asked, apparently on speaker phone.

"When did he ever go willingly? They've all spent the past three years blackmailing and manipulating him." Ben snapped then sighed. "Sorry."

"_It's fine. Does Jones know?"_ Wolf asked.

"No, she's pissed as hell and is going to phone me back after checking the theory. Are you in a car?" Ben checked,

"_Yep Foxy boy, we're coming to visit, it's only a ten minute drive, at least with S driving." _Eagle chirped his cheerfulness his last defence against panicking.

"See you soon." Ben sighed and hung up.

"What was all of that about?!" Harold demanded pointing at the seat. There was a steaming mug of tea in front of him, coffee in front of the others.

"It's a long story," Ben was cut off by his phone. "Hello?" There was silence around the table, then the British spy sighed, "I assumed so. Where is he?" A frown furrowed Ben's forehead. "Thanks." He hung up and pushed his seat back,

"Adi? You know if he left his phone?" Ben asked, Adi glanced around the kitchen and shrugged,

"I'll go have a look." She jogged up the stairs.

"Mum! Dad!" Jack's voice called, the eight new comers were ushered into the kitchen, only to decide it wasn't big enough and move into the living room.

"Do you want drinks?" Grace asked, her way of coping with a missing teen and fourteen people in her house.

"Thanks. I'll help." Eagle offered, causing Wolf, Snake and Ben to wince.

"I think I'll save her china and help instead." Snake teased.

"I'm not _that_ bad."

"Eagle, you broke a plastic cup!" Snake hit him over the head. Then turned to Ben, "Is it?"

"Yep. Jones confirmed it, I need to call someone to check something." They headed into the living room as Jack did introductions.

"Here." Adi returned out of breath holding a phone.

"Thanks." Ben breathed, obviously relieved. He pressed a number and waited for it to connect.

"_Benjamin I assume._" A Russian voice said on the other side.

"From that am I right to assume he is in front of you? Or that you have seen him?" Ben asked in flawless Russian.

"_No, he contacted me earlier. Asked something. I _am_ meeting him later though._"

"What is he doing?"

"_Working the CIA's side of Miss Knight's case._"

"Sorry?" Ben queried confused.

"_She, however, is in front of me."_ There was silence then a new voice, "_Ben?_"

"Tamara," At this three SAS men spun around to look at him.

"He's in _Russia_!" They exclaimed as one.

"_Crimea, actually._" Tamara corrected, Ben relayed this to the unit who paled.

"Well that's just _dandy_." Wolf muttered. "With his luck he'll get shot."

"Where is this Crimea?" Charlie asked confused, "Why would he be shot?" Six faces regarded her incredulous.

"_Did she just say what I think she said?_" Tamara asked faintly.

"Yeah, she did. What can I say, bloody Americans." Ben smiled faintly.

"_Hey! I'm a British Citizen now!"_ Tamara exclaimed.

"You've been a British Citizen for what... Four weeks?" Ben smirked.

"_Do you want information about Alex, who is now heading towards me from customs? And looking very, _very_ pissed off."_

"_Hey Ben." _A quiet voice said, Ben smiled sadly.

"What'd they use against you?"

"_You're not mad? Tam's looking pretty grumpy."_

"No, but if you want a rant I can quite happily hand you over to Wolf who will be more than willing to slip into protective mode."

"_God no!" _Alex exclaimed while laughing slightly.

"Don't get shot, do anything stupid, blow anything up or, most importantly of all don't talk to strangers." Ben told him amusement in his tone.

"_You know, you're taking this adoption thing seriously, you're sounding like my older brother already!"_ Ben could read the gratitude and affection through the sarcasm.

"_What! You didn't tell me it was official!"_ Tamara shrieked.

"Yeah, well I was planning to tell you in person so I could keep my ear drums in one piece. Sorry, got to go. Stay safe." Ben hung up, then threw the phone at the three SAS men laughing at him.

"Who was on the phone first?" Snake asked, Ben smiled sheepishly.

"Alex's phone." Was Ben's only reply.

"I can't decide what surprises me more, the fact his numbers on speed dial, or the fact Fox knows his numbers on speed dial and which number it is." Eagle sighed.

"I have up being surprised with him a while ago." Snake commented. "Who else is on his speed dial?"

"Me, him, Tam, Derek, James, Jones and Tom." Ben rattled off. Jackal snorted.

"Not much of a mummy's boy then." He scorned, what he got in response was four disgusted looks.

"What did you mean in the conversations?" Grace asked, resigning herself to the knowledge that conversations between the men would be as bad as ones between Ben and Alex.

"He is in the Crimea." Ben summarised.

"With Tamara?" Grace checked.

"Yeah, he's working the CIA side of that investigation." Ben put his head in his hands.

"Why can't they fucking leave him alone." Wolf growled.

"You forget, he's too good at what he does." Snake groaned.

"So he's with the CIA?" Harold sounded confused. "But you said he never goes willingly, what did you mean by blackmail and manipulation?" They were saved having to answer by the phone ringing. Ben answered his mobile as Harold took the land line.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you." Ben hung up.

"That was Mr Byrne, he says that we can go home with the Brits if we want." He relayed.

"And I'll bet he didn't sound happy." Ben smirked.

"No, he sounded the angriest I have heard him. Why?" Harold raised an eyebrow.

"Jones... persuaded him to let you come with us, both Adi and Alex, when he re materialises." Ben explained.

"But what about the exchange?" W asked confused.

"Swap it, you can either do it with another unit here or at home or you can do this with us then do the exchange, first in the UK then in the US." Wolf put in.

"And your Sarge will go for that, I heard you calling our Sarge a kitten this morning." M cocked an eyebrow.

"Comparatively he is, but when you mention Cub's name..." Snake shrugged.

"You could get him dancing on tables if it helps Cub." Eagle finished.

"Why?" Adi spoke for the whole room.

"Long story, one I'm not going into." Eagle half smiled.

"Why not?" Charlie asked confused.

"Because I said I wouldn't. God knows it took us long enough to gain his trust, barr Ben, I'm not betraying it now." Eagle shrugged.

"Why not you?" Jack asked Ben.

"I took a... short cut." He rubbed his shoulder where he had been shot for Cub absent mindedly. "But no way in hell am I betraying that trust either. So, we going?"

"I'm in." The SEAL unit replied instantly.

"Shouldn't have to ask." Adi raised her hand.

"I'm with you." Harry shrugged.

"I work in Europe anyway. May as well shorten the flight." Will grinned.

"I may have to bring my partner..." Charlie bit her lip.

"Can he be trusted?" S asked.

"Yeah, Luke Knight? You know of him?" Charlie asked, Ben smirked.

"He's good." Charlie looked at the smirks across all Brits faces and shook her head in resignation.

"Looks like we're off. When are we leaving?" Grace asked, answering for herself and her husband,

"ASAP. Plane is ready and fuelled, due to, again, Alex, we have a private jet. Lets go pack." Ben stood.

"Airport at four? I'll bring this house, you spit the rest of you between two cars?" Harold suggested.

"Yes sir." Wolf and S responded, automatically reacting to the authority in his voice.

* * *

A week later Adi was roaming the hallways of the small mansion in Chelsea searching the walls. There were fifteen of them in total, but only seven were staying in the house. 39th unit were in Snake and Eagles flat and Jackal was in his own apartment. Tamara and Alex were still in the Crimea and Luke was having to fly out at a later date due to an injury, but to Charlie's amusement he was adamant nothing happened without him. She couldn't help but feel he was keeping something from her.

"You're moping again." Charlie was lounging against the door into their shared twin room, which was sleeping four at the moment due to both beds having secondary ones underneath. In a quick game of rock, paper, scissors the boys had gained the slightly thinner beds, at first they had been grumpy but now it was like being children again, minus Jack, all sleeping in the same room. And they could all safely say they had slept in worse.

"Sorry, can't help it." Adi rubbed her palms against her eyes.

"You miss him. That's to be expected." Charlie shrugged.

"No-" Charlie cut her off by grabbing her wrist and sitting her on her bed, facing her.

"You have spent four weeks sharing a house, albeit the last three days he was here ignoring him, but before that I saw how close you were. You talked about anything and everything, I panicked one evening because I came to jump on you and you weren't in bed. I found you fast asleep in Alex's room." Adi blushed, no one had meant to find them.

"We were talking and it just... never stopped." Adi mumbled.

"I know, but stop moping, I can help you with your coursework if you want? Or we can play a game, I'll do anything to keep your mind off darker places." Charlie tilted her sisters chin up. "Come on, lets go asked Ben where he keeps his board games." Smiling Charlie pulled Adi by the wrist out onto the landing,

"They're in the cupboard at the end!" Ben called from his office.

"Damn he reads minds." Adi muttered.

"Nope, just good at second guessing." Ben emerged as Harry and Will came tearing up the stairs, they bumped the walls then carried on up to the top floor where the girls had been minutes before. Charlie reached out to straighten a photo frame they had knocked aside and froze. She looked and saw Ben and Adi discussing the games and Charlie quickly hid her surprise and joined them. She would ask about the photo later.

* * *

The door to the house opened quietly, two exhausted figures appeared through the door. The shorter blonde one gently threw the keys in the key bowl and kicked off his shoes as he went, the woman copying. They then slowly climbed the stairs both debating mentally what was more important, shower, or sleep. Both bypassed the bathroom and climbed straight into their beds.

Ben, being almost as light a sleeper as Alex, felt as the bed dipped, he reached out and Tamara grabbed his hand then curled into him.

"How's Alex?" Ben murmured quietly.

"He aches and will have some spectacular bruising but other than that I don't know, he was too busy rescuing me and both of us running for me to grill him." Ben pressed a light kiss on the top of her head.

"How are you?" Tamara had long resigned herself to the fact Alex always came first. She would also be the first to admit that when it was a toss up between Alex and Ben, she went for Alex.

"Much better now." Tamara murmured, "Now let me sleep." Ben didn't complain, within seconds the entire house was back asleep.

* * *

"Come here." Ben murmured entering Alex's bathroom wincing at the bruising that adorned his chest. Ben carefully wrapped the few cuts he had, shockingly it was mainly bruising, then made his sit on the counter while he checked his bullet wound.

Thirty minutes later Alex had been cleared and both were in the kitchen drinking mugs of tea. There was slight movement upstairs so Ben switched on the coffee machine.

"Adi, Grace, Charlie, Wolf, Harold." Alex guessed.

"Adi, Grace, Charlie, Harold, Wolf." Ben disagreed. A minute later Adi stumbled into the kitchen, Alex poured her a mug of coffee and handed it to her.

"Thanks Al." She mumbled flopping into a chair,

'Three, two, one,' Ben mouthed, as he hit one there was a gasp.

"Al?!" She jumped up and threw her arms around him, squeezing tightly, it was all he could do to manage not to gasp in pain.

"Alex!" Grace exclaimed, hugging him once Adi had let go, Charlie simply smiled at him, not a hugging type.

"Where did you go? What did you do? Why did you leave without saying anything! Why didn't you take me with you? Why did the CIA nab you? Why-"

"Good lord, it's like having Eagle here." Wolf groaned ruffling Alex's hair on the way past, his 'hello I'm glad you're back and in one piece'. As Alex held his mug out for more tea he shot a triumphant smirk at Ben.

"I win." He gloated.

"Who do you think is going to be last up?" Wolf asked used to their guessing games. The two spies looked at each other and rolled their eyes,

"Tamara." They replied in unison. As Wolf handed back Alex's mug of tea the older man gently took his wrist and sighed.

"What is it with you and hand shaped bruises?" Wolf tutted. Alex shrugged and pulled his sleeves back down before the two women could notice. He then heard a shower turn on, "She's up."

"Yeah, but the boys beat her. And they'll all move faster if Alex starts making his pancakes." Ben raised an eyebrow at his charge.

"Gee, child labour!" Alex exclaimed pulling all the necessary ingredients out. Adi threw Ben bacon when she saw Alex hadn't taken it out.

"Tam!" Ben called seeing her pass, she appeared in the doorway expectantly. Ben pointed at the bacon expectantly.

"It's called bacon and maple syrup pancakes." Tamara rolled her eyes. "Ask Al, he's made them for me before." Ben turned to Alex.

"Have you really?"

"Jack used to make them for me when I was ill, when you were in... Canada I think it was, Tam got the flu, so I made them for her when she felt well enough to eat, it's an American thing I believe." Alex shrugged effortlessly flipping a pancake.

"Bacon and maple syrup." The Liverpudlian couldn't seem to get his head around this. Alex sighed and grabbed a lemon out the fruit basket then handed it to Ben.

"That should be easier to comprehend. Juice it." Adi smirked as Ben sat with the juicer and lemon. Within ten minutes there was a stack of pancakes in the middle of the table,

"They're not pancakes." Harry pouted.

"English ones. Not the tiny little ones we have at home." Tamara grinned. "Here those ones are called scotch pancakes." Charlie appeared out the basement holding two bottles, a from on her face.

"Chocolate or cream?" She asked out loud. Alex bit his lip as Ben snorted with the effort of holding back his laugh. Tamara tried her hardest not to laugh, but when Wolf face planted the table the three of them lost it.

"What's so funny?" Will asked.

"It's not that funny." Wolf ground out.

"Ah, you're just upset it made Eagle hyper all the way home!" Ben gasped through his laughter.

"What the hell?!" Harry exclaimed.

"Basically a perfectly innocent trip to Cadbury world turned into three chocolate coated SAS men. And then the machine came and put cream all over them as well!" Tamara managed to get out. Eventually they all recovered and the pancakes were finished.

"When's Luke getting here?" Harry asked Charlie.

"About now, he didn't say how he was getting here, just that he'd manage." Charlie shrugged confused. Tamara opened her mouth but Ben and Alex subtly shook their heads, fighting grins. As though he had heard them the door opened and someone came in.

"Hey Charlie!" Luke called from the hallway, dumping his bags and entering the kitchen. "Oh, so you don't treat all newly met FBI agents like you did me? Was I given special treatment?" Luke grinned at Alex, shocking the room.

"Of course, that treatment is reserved for those whose sisters are dating my brother." Alex shrugged. A delighted grin lit up Luke's face.

"It's official then!"

"Yeah, he's now my legal guardian." Alex grinned.

"And I'm already going grey because of it." Ben taunted.

"Why didn't you tell me!" Luke whined, pouting.

"That's why there's a photo of you upstairs!" Charlie exclaimed, "I saw it yesterday and it confused the hell out of me. Why didn't you tell me!" She hit her partner repeatedly on the shoulder with a book.

"Surprise." Luke grinned. "Am I in the normal room?" He asked heading to the hallway.

"Nope, sorry Grace and Harold have that, you're with me." Alex grinned. "If you steal the duvet again no one can fault me for kicking you out."

"Come on, I didn't steal the duvet!" Luke complained, as Alex helped him with his bags.

"Yes you did! I woke up to three degrees and blue fingers and toes!" Alex exclaimed. Everyone in the kitchen, barr Tamara, Ben and Wolf, seemed to be in shock.

"I think we deserve an explanation." Grace stated quietly.

"Everyone should be here in under an hour, go into the living room, it's the largest room." Ben ran a hand through his hair already dreading it.

"You need to explain from the start what the hell is going on." Harold stated when all the occupants of the house were in the living room.

"Well," Alex started, and was stopped by the door opening. All the SAS and SEAL operatives, minus Jackal who was nowhere to be seen, filed into the living room. Snake spotted Alex grabbed his wrist and pulled his up.

"That Wolf, is why I seem to accumulate a lot of hand shaped bruises." Alex flashed his a grin. Snake dragged him forcefully into the kitchen where he sat Alex on the side and gestured for him to take his top off. Alex complied, knowing by now that resisting the medical was futile. Snake tutted as he examined the bruising and wounds.

"Ben did it all earlier." Alex muttered grumpily.

"Shit." The expletive was breathed but enough. Alex and Snake glanced over and saw Harry, Will and Jack in the doorway.

"Ah crap."

* * *

**This I swear it's true, I really need to do revision. But reviews would be adored and will spur me to do my revision :)**


	6. He has no family - He's got Nessie!

**Yes! I have found time to write alongside revision, probably should have been sleeping.. Oops.**

* * *

"What?" Grace called from the living room.

"M! Could you come here a sec?" Jack called over his shoulder, by the time the American medic was at the door Alex's shirt was back on and he had his arms crossed on his chest, the universal symbol for; piss off because I am not telling you anything.

"What's up C?" M asked confused.

"Him." The three brothers pointed at Alex. Jack grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the living room.

"See! Hand shaped bruises! Jesus people just ask me to follow you!" Alex threw his hands up in the air, wincing as it pulled at his injuries and flopped on the sofa between Ben and Wolf.

"Saw that." Six voices commented in unison.

"Saw what?" Adi asked thoroughly confused.

"He flinched." Ben exclaimed ruffling Alex's hair as the blonde batted him away half heartedly.

"_He _has a lot of explaining to do." Jack growled looking at the boy, "They all do."

"I don't see why I should." Alex shot back.

"You are here to protect our daughter! I think we should know if you are in a fit state to do so." Harold ground out.

"Fine then, get someone else you trust!" Alex sighed.

"I trust him." The voice was quiet. "It's not a hasty decision, I have been thinking about it since he vanished. I. Trust. Him." Adi insisted.

"You know pretty much everything about us don't you." Charlie sat forward, leaning on her knees, hands clasped.

"Give or take." Ben replied slowly.

"Then let us ask questions, they don't all have to be about Alex, they can be at all of you, dilute it in a way." Charlie compromised.

"If we must." Snake sighed. The front door opened without someone knocking, causing every member of the Gideon family, and the SEAL's to stand in defence. Alex rolled his eyes.

"Tom?" Alex called, knowing full well who it was.

"No it's the loch ness monster, I got tired of Scotland so thought I'd try London instead." An amused voice shot back.

"Good to know." Ben laughed

"Glad you're back." Tom entered the living room, not blinking twice at the fact nearly 10 guns were aimed at him.

"Yeah, back last night." Alex grinned, Snake stood and examined the cut leaking blood down the side of his face.

"Bowl or plate?" The Scottish medic queried.

"Table." Tom replied grinning wryly. "Ducked to avoid the mug." He elaborated.

"Damn, they've run out of plates and bowls now?" Eagle sighed.

"Pretty much." Tom laughed, humourlessly. "Who's the guests?" He waved his hands at the Americans.

"Adi Gideon and her family." Ben waved a hand at them.

"Isn't protection supposed to take place within their own country" Tom grinned, then actually _looked_ at his best friend. "Bastards in the CIA did it again." Tom muttered annoyed.

"Got it in one. How come he can read you like a book and we are still struggling?" Luke complained.

"He's known me so long I'd be worried if he couldn't." Alex grinned.

"Guessing you want to stay the night?" Ben guessed after Snake had patched up his head.

"Yeah. At this point I'd sleep in the bath if it kept me away from them." Tom sighed.

"Tam, I swear our parents divorced in months, not the four years it's taking his." Luke sighed, comprehension dawned on the Americans faces, slightly anyway.

"What's going on?" Tom asked sliding down the wall holding a mug of tea.

"They're about to grill us about our... strange relationships I believe." Eagle replied bouncing up and down.

"Damn, I'm not moving, I want to see him talk his way out of this one." Tom grinned fiendishly.

"He's such a good friend." Alex sighed throwing a pillow at him,

"Thanks Al!" Tom sat on it. The blonde pouted then stole the one behind Eagle.

"HEY!" Eagle went to grab it back but Wolf stopped the bickering before it escalated.

"Oh, as you're so eager to answer questions I think the first should be aimed at you." Snake grinned, sitting back. The room rearranged itself so that the Americans faced the British, plus Tamara and Luke.

"I'll start." M volunteered, "Why isn't Jackal here?" It was obviously the wrong question as all the others stiffened.

"Jackal isn't... technically, part of out unit." Wolf answered slowly.

"He's been passed around them all, he doesn't fit with any of us, he's been with S, L and U, now he's with us, but after this exchange he is joining a recruit unit. If that doesn't work he's moving bases." Eagle shrugged.

"Why didn't he get along with your unit?" S asked confused.

"He had a rather large hole to fill, amongst others." Snake smirked slightly.

"Whose?" W asked, thoroughly confused.

"Hello." Alex and Ben waved.

"You're SAS." Grace asked confused.

"I was first, then got seconded. Alex got seconded to the SAS." Ben explained.

"Oh." That seemed to be the only response possible.

"Simple one now. Whose house is this? Ben, Wolf, Alex and Tamara live here." Will asked curious.

"Mine." Alex smiled slightly. "When I turn 18." He added. This made the others pause.

"You're not 18." Grace repeated. Alex grinned.

"So cute." He wiped away an imaginary tear.

"Give them a break, you're ID states you're 18 and we thought you were like 16 when we met you." Eagle commented.

"I still don't know how you managed to convince yourself that a 12 year old was 16." Alex sighed.

"You were in an SAS camp, partly, we didn't _want_ to believe you were any younger then 16." Wolf added in.

"Good point."

"12 in an SAS camp." Grace looked pale, and the SEAL's looked slightly ill.

"And he kept up." Ben grinned.

"It was only for 11 days." Alex tried to make the whole escapade better.

"11 days!" Harold exclaimed, apparently Alex's plan hadn't worked.

"But I did go back and complete selection at a later date. Albeit with three people who had already _done _selection." Alex smiled slightly.

"Wait, 11 days in _selection_." M hissed.

"Maybe? I wasn't allowed near a gun or jumping out an aeroplane." Alex tried, again, to show it all in a better light.

"Al, no matter how you paint it, you still went through SAS selection for 11 days." Tom added 'helpfully'.

"What were you doing at an SAS camp at 12?!" W sighed.

"What did your parents have to say about it?" Grace asked faintly, Alex smirked as the rest of those who knew the answer stiffened.

"Not much funnily enough." Alex grinned.

"Wait, Al." Tom cut in. "CIA, FBI and some SEAL's yes?" He checked.

"CIA, FBI, Interpol and some SEAL's." Ben corrected.

"So their all in some intelligence of some sort." Tom rephrased.

"Yep." Alex confirmed.

"That must have been your idea of living hell." Tom frowned, worried. Alex glanced across to flash a grin at his friend and froze.

"Al." Ben murmured, having seen it as well.

"With you." Alex agreed.

"What?" Grace asked.

"Light reflection from the top of the building over there." Ben stated.

"And..." Will raised an eyebrow.

"Reflected from the glass of a rifle sight." Wolf put in, watching the building out the corner of his eye, it was only now that the others comprehended the gravity of the situation.

"Grace, Harold, Adi and Charlie, you go to your parents bedroom." Wolf ordered, "Tom, Luke, Harry and Will, the main bedroom upstairs." He continued. "39th unit Snake, time to play cards. Go." Wolf stated, K unit, Ben, Tamara and Alex all gathered around the table in the middle as Snake pulled out a pack of cards, then dealt them with a ease that astounded the Americans, considering the situation. It was only now Adi realised the strategic layout of the living room, no bullet could hit any of the ten remaining, due to lack of a clear shot, or sight.

Charlie grabbed her sisters arm and pulled her upstairs dragging two of her brothers along as well, it was surprisingly subtly done for managing to get a third of the occupants of the house out in one go. Next went the parents, through a different door and lastly Luke. All gone within minutes and all done subtly. The sniper would be none the wiser.

"So, meet at the base of the building in three?" Alex said, almost conversationally, standing and stretching before heading to the kitchen, Ben in tow. The snuck out the back door and over the fence. Next Wolf went to get the phone that was ringing, Alex had called it.

"Tamara! Phone for you!" He called, those two left the house the same way as the spies. Lastly Eagle headed for the bathroom, before leaving the house as well.

* * *

Wolf quietly snuck up behind the sniper, eyeing up the pressure point that would cause immediate unconsciousness, at the last second the sniper swore, and reached back to grab a cleaning cloth, when he couldn't find it he looked back, straight at the SAS man who had just launched himself at the sniper in the hope of incapacitating him before any damage could be done. He managed to swing the gun around and fire once before Wolf knocked the weapon out his hands, Ben joined the fight as the man threw a vicious kick knocking Wolf over, he twisted trying to avoid landing on the rifle and slipped over the edge, Tamara grabbed his wrist as Alex grabbed his other and together they managed to pulled him back over, then Tamara rejoined the fight and within seconds the man was unconscious. They all looked down at themselves.

"Snakes' going to murder us." Eagle muttered eyeing up the thin line on his arm the man's knife had gifted him with, a matching one on Ben's torso. The only one unscathed was Tamara, Wolf had bruises down one side from his collision with the wall. As one they all glanced at Alex who was smiling sheepishly, one hand clasped at his side.

"Please tell me that's..." Wolf ground out, Alex pulled his hand away revealing a large patch of blood.

"Oops." Ben caught his as he swayed. "Hurts."

"I'll bet it does. Lets see." Wolf had his phone out and was calling Jones, Eagle was calling Snake. 39th unit were doing a perimeter sweep.

"Christ. It's practically on top of your last one." Ben cursed fluently in multiple languages.

"Language." A Scottish and Irish voice snapped in unison.

"Snake, I said bring only yourself." Eagle sighed.

"He was there and I couldn't say no. It was obviously medical and you know how I get when there's something medical going on. M, you do those three morons, I'll do Cub." Snake apologised.

"Sorry." Alex said as soon as Snake was in hearing range.

"Don't say that, lets see." He waited patiently until Alex hand removed his hand, Snake sighed. "If I was to say St Dom-"

"NO!" Alex exclaimed.

"Hear me out." Snake sighed. "I could get you out before you had to stay the night. I wouldn't be saying it, because I know how much you hate that place, but with it so close to the other one I don't want to take any chances." Alex bit his lip trying to decide on an answer, finally he nodded, Snake deftly bandaged the wound and slipped an arm around his shoulders, supporting him to not to an extent where Alex would complain.

"Any serious ones?" Snake asked,

"Ben may need stitches, I'd like for both of them, but Eagle's is healing happily already and Wolf's just bruised, maybe a cracked rib, nothing a doctor could do we cant." M rattled off.

"Ben? Care to keep me company?" Alex grinned.

"Hell no." The Liverpudlian shook his head fervently.

"Any thing interesting happen while we were occupied?" Wolf asked,

"I just spent half an hour fielding questions from the SEAL's about why we all had such a large and strong dislike of Jackal." Snake sighed.

"And?" Alex asked,

"He didn't say." W pouted coming in through the door.

"Why did you use us?" C asked seeing Alex and Snake leave the room, obviously worse for wear.

"Because he doesn't know what we can do. He can't judge how we would react in a situation, unknown variables are something you need to avoid the best you can." S replied for Wolf, "I'd have done the same. I'd also have left M at home." He grinned as he offered a hand to Wolf who stood, wincing as he went.

"Damn, leaders that think alike. We're doomed." Tamara murmured to Ben,

"I heard that." Both snapped, then exchanged half smiles in amusement.

* * *

Adi marched into Alex's room, slammed the door and forcefully pushed Alex onto the bed, he was unable to control the wince when he landed.

"You, owe me an explanation." She hissed poking him forcefully in the chest.

"I do? In what way?" Alex asked sighing mentally, he had literally just returned from the hospital with Snake.

"You have lived in my house and met my entire family. I have no idea who your family is!" Adi exclaimed, Alex was gad the rooms were all pretty much sound proofed, an addition he had found out after Ian had died.

"You're living with them." Alex snapped, standing up and running a hand through his hair, he didn't want to do this now, he was exhausted, drugged and in pain. None of which led to him being able to think clearly.

"No I'm not, those are just individual people, some of whom you live with, some of whom you're in a unit with. Contrary to popular belief, your unit is_ not_ your family. Nor are the ones you live with!" She was now getting grumpy.

"Well in that case I _have_ no family."

"You obviously do, everyone does, so are you just a rich little boy who disagreed with his family about certain matters, or maybe your parents work for MI6, you commented a while ago your uncle was never home, maybe a job abroad? Or too rich for you? The woman in all the photos, red hair, obviously not a relation, an au-pair, paid to raise you because your family couldn't be bothered?

"In your argument with Ben I overheard he said this was going to be hard for you. Why? Because we are a family that still acknowledge everyone, yours obviously _doesn't, _hell you don't even care enough about them to have photos of them up and around the house!" Adi was pacing unaware of Alex's anger gradually growing.

"So yes, you owe me an explanation as to why the hell I am having weapons aimed at me, why I have been moved half way around the world by you, why you vanish with no explanation at the beck and call of the CIA, who you supposedly hate, I think your parents are just rich bastards, high up in the governmental hierarchy. That's all you are a rich little daddy's boy who doesn't understand the gravity of the situation he is in. My cousin was tortured and killed, does that help you understand, I bet you can't even imagine what it's like to not have your massive house with your queen sized bed waiting for you at home. My cousin and best friend was tortured because of me. So yes, Alexander Rider, I believe you owe me an answer."

Alex shut his eyes trying to calm himself, trying not to let her have all his mucked up life story in one hit, but he was struggling, she had said too much against his family for him to just walk away as he usually would have done.

"Oh, you're mother didn't even teach you to look into a girls eye when formulating lies to tell her?" Adi scorned, the last of Alex's reserves went.

"No. She didn't, because, contrary to your belief, she wasn't _rich_ or in anyway related to the government, she was a _nurse_. My parents and my older sister died when I was three months old. From there I was passed to my French aunt and uncle, who died when I was five in the 9/11 bombings of the world trade centre. They searched for my other uncle but he had been kidnapped by SCORPIA, which let me tell you, is no picnic. So, unable to find a family member I went into the system. I was adopted after a year by a husband and wife, the wife had been diagnosed with cancer so wanted to do something with her life before she died, there were complications and she died within three months, the husband fell to drink and spent the next three months, until someone actually caught on that these bruises were not from accidents, abusing me.

"So I went back into the system aged six and a half and stayed there until I was nearly nine going through all types of foster placements. Finally my uncle had woken from his coma and was healthy enough to look after me. Those three months he was there with me to start with were the longest single span I saw him for, courtesy of him still being a spy, until his assassination when I was 11, then MI6 got in contact with me, gee it's like it was almost planned. I cold speak a lot of languages, was more than capable of looking after myself and my foster placements had taken me on treats around the world so I could ski, dive, parachute jump. The perfect little spy.

"And so began my round of manipulation and blackmail. The woman in the photos was not any relation, no, but she was like my sister. They used her visa against me so I did missions for them, they shot my best friend so I would do missions for them. The used K unit, Ben, Tamara, anything and _everything_ they could get against me to do missions for them. Then when I was just 13 Jack died, blown up to torture me. I moved to San Francisco, Byrne used my adoptive family against me with their visas. But I had pissed off the wrong people, my adoptive family were blown up, it took '6 four months to find me, the CIA didn't give a damn. At fourteen I was fostered by an ASIS MI6 couple, a mission went wrong and they were gone as well. Then Ben found me." He sighed,

"I was fourteen and about to be dumped, unceremoniously, at an SAS camp. Ben bargained and gained me three months recovery time with him, before I went and joined K unit, Ben following a month later. So Adenine, they _are_ my family, like it or not." Alex finished then stormed out the room leaving a pale Adi in his wake. He grabbed his coat and was out the door in seconds.

"Was that Alex?" Snake asked alarmed.

"Yeah, Adi!" Ben called, a pale, shaking figure came down the stairs. "What did you say?"

"The wrong thing." Adi breathed curling up in a ball and wrapping her arms around her legs.

"What did you say? I need to go find him." Ben crouched before the girl who was going into shock.

"Why does it matter?" Jack asked confused,

"What she said dictates where he would go." Ben called over his shoulder.

"He told me about his family." Adi managed to get out. K unit, Ben and Tamara sighed,

"Cemetery." The said in unison, Ben turned to go,

"Wait!" Adi called.

"Yes?" Ben asked impatiently,

"So he has no family, none at _all_." Adi checked.

"What he has you're looking at." Tamara sighed, sliding down the wall. As one the Gideon family and the SEAL unit blanched.

"But-" Grace seemed lost for words.

"Lets put it this way, adoption, fostering, biological relatives, living on his own, Alex has done the works." Tom smiled sadly.

"Abuse, torture, manipulation, blackmail, a shit life. Alex has had the works." Snake finished grimly. Any other topic and he would have been teased for swearing, but no one had the heart to do so.

"I'll cook, lasagne OK for everyone?" Tom asked standing.

"You can cook?" Jack cocked an eyebrow.

"Al taught me." Tom shrugged.

* * *

"Alex." Ben murmured, the still figure was pale and standing in front of four graves, Alice, Helen, John and Ian Rider. "Come here kiddo." Ben turned him around and hugged him tightly, careful to avoid his bullet wound. "It's OK to cry, you're only human." Ben murmured, and, for once, Alex Rider did as he was told.

* * *

**If you were expecting that you must be psychic, or magical, because I wasn't. Please review!**


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